Trampoline park dangers: Utah Co. Health Department investigates

UTAH COUNTY (ABC 4 Utah) - Trampoline parks are popping up all over Utah and, in Utah County, the Health Department may be stepping in to ensure they are safe.

UTAH COUNTY (ABC 4 Utah) - Trampoline parks are popping up all over Utah and, in Utah County, the Health Department may be stepping in to ensure they are safe.

You've got your backyard trampolines and your professional grade trampolines you can find at gymnastic studios. Add them together and you've got a dangerous combination.

The trampoline parks offer kids of all ages the chance to jump around on professional grade trampolines with no experience necessary and people are getting hurt.

Utah County Health Department Director Dr. Joseph Miner told ABC 4 Utah, “The emergency department at Utah Valley said there’s an average of one emergency transportation, with an ambulance, a week.”

The trampoline companies say they’re safer than other sports, but doctors are telling the health department the injuries are much more severe.

"The emergency department has showed us many x-rays of horribly fractured extremities, broken necks,” said Dr. Miner.

The new requirements would mean the trampoline parks would have to report all of their injuries to the health department.

It would also mean every company would have to enforce safety rules, like only one jumper on a trampoline at a time. It's something many trampoline owners say they do, but our investigation of one trampoline gym showed that's not happening. Big kids are jumping right alongside little kids.